As the leader of a team with “grit, passion, drive,” and most of all, “handsome looks,” 6’4”, and 192 pounds “rounded-up,” Troy Keller ’22 makes up for his shortcomings in basketball with a true will to compete and win. According to Keller, Team Yellow’s character manifests itself in its 7-2 record this season.
Keller said, “I’d say my strengths are humor, passion, and a drive to win and compete. I’m not really good at basketball, but you can tell every time I go out there that I want to be there, and I play like I want to be there, too. And it shows in our record [and] in our stats. I mean, Yellow Team is one of the top teams in the league. I think we’re six and two.”
A basketball star since his Junior year, Keller’s teammates compare him to Larry Bird for his character and unconventional shot form on the court, according to Keller. Keller laments that Bird has never had the chance to meet him.
“Some call me Larry. Larry’s a name I adopted around my [Junior] year. Some people still refer to me as Larry specifically when I’m on the court; I feel like his sort of spirit just possesses me. Is he dead? I think he’s still alive. I have never got the chance to meet him, but to be fair, he’s never gotten the chance to meet me, so it sucks for the both of us. Ethan Hong and Nic Lam sort of know me as that sharpshooter around the perimeter. Ugly-a** shot form. That’s just really how I adopted the name,” said Keller.
Keller believes his recent performances on the court combined with his academics and personality justify him a spot on the Boys Basketball team as a supporter on the sidelines.
“I think [Andover Boys Basketball Head Coach Terrell Ivory ’00] can recruit me for a lot of reasons. Honestly, my charisma and my academics are something that will attract a lot of other colleges. And even in my short time playing Cluster Ball, both preseason and [the] regular season, I’ve improved dramatically. And I think my first few games I averaged maybe a bucket and assist a game. In my last game just recently, I dropped four buckets and three assists without some of our star players… I think I could fit directly into TI’s system. With Colby Duggan, Caleb Blackburn-Johnson, Jordan Rayford, I think I could play just as brilliantly alongside them, just assisting them, encouraging them as they drive to the bucket while I stand on the sideline and clap. I think I really could just do a good job of that,” said Keller.
